Board of Directors

Tom Slockee, Chairperson (Member of Finance & Audit / Development Committees)

Tom was born in a hessian bag house and grew up in a Aboriginal community who, although not having a flash house, cared for each other and shared everything they had. His Dad and Uncles built the first real house Tom knew. After time in the Army, Tom settled in The Bay and found that the Aboriginal People were still struggling to find a place to call home.

He started Budawang Housing Corporation after he couldn’t find a house to rent because of racial prejudice. Tom is a servant leader and was recognised and sought out by the NSW Government to lead the Aboriginal Housing Development Committee (ADC) which was the forerunner the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) in NSW. Tom was the inaugural Chairperson of both.

Tom was instrumental in setting up the South Eastern Aboriginal Regional Management Service (SEARMS) as a Co-Operative in 2003 and was the first Chairperson of this Co-Operative. After some time away Tom returned as Chair in 2011 when SEARMS moved from a Co-Operative structure to an Aboriginal Corporation under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act with a skills and merits based Board.

Tom is a respected leader – inspirational and transformational – with foresight and imagination to improve outcomes across all aspects of life for the communities he serves. He acknowledges and respects other people’s perspectives, and involves others when decisions are needed for future directions. Tom builds a sense of community so that people can trust each other and forge stronger relationships.

Tom is driven by his faith and his mission is to serve and represent those who find life a struggle. He has a passionate concern for the good of all people. Other involvements include/have included:

Chairperson Budawang Aboriginal Corporation
Chairperson Murra Mia Tenants Advocacy and Advisory Service
Chairperson of the AHO
Deputy Mayor of Eurobodalla Shire Council
Chairperson of the Umbarra Regional Council (ATSIC).
Board of Campbell Page Ltd
Board Chair of the Southern Area Health Services Board
Director for Aboriginal Hostels Ltd
Board Member of the Batemans Bay LALC

Anne Greenaway, Director (Chair of Finance & Audit Committee)

Anne is a proud Aboriginal woman (traditionally from Taree) who has lived and worked in the local communities on the Far South Coast for over 22 years, with over 30 years experience in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health and Aborginal Housing sectors. She is a great grandmother seven times over!

Anne has now retired from full-time work but continues to live and work in the local community, remaining active in participating and representing her community on a wide range of Aboriginal issues. She is currently Chairing the Little Yuin Preschool and Family Centre at Wallaga Lake.

Her qualifications include:

Bachelor of Arts,
Masters of Letters (History),
Diploma of Business (Management),
Certificate IV Governance, and,
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

Experience includes:

Board Member SEARMS (8 years) – current
Chair, Little Yuin Preschool and Family Centre – current
Chief Executive Officer, Merrimans Local Aboriginal Land Council (6 years)
Director AH&MRC (NSW Aboriginal Health Peak organisation for over 15 years)
Deputy Chair and CEO, Katungul ACC & MS / South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation
Director, NSW Aboriginal Legal Service
Director, Oolong House
Manager, Moruya Women’s Refuge

Cheryl Moreton, Director (Member of Finance & Audit Committee)

Cheryl commenced worked in 1986 with the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (initially Far South Coast Regional Aboriginal Land Council) I was made redundant in 2004. Continued to work in various Aboriginal community organisation.

Currently studying – Certificate IV in Business
Completed Certificate IV in Training and Assessment TAE40110

Cheryl is currently:

Chairperson of Bodalla Local Aboriginal Land Council,
Director with the Bodalla Aboriginal Housing Company,
Board member of the Regional Aboriginal Housing Committee (RAHC)
Chief Executive Officer of Wagonga Local Aboriginal Land Council

Jason Oakley, Director (AGM 2020) (Member of Finance & Audit/Development Committee)

Jason is a senior public servant with experience within government and non-government sectors delivering on policy, risk, program and service delivery frameworks. His ongoing
work and experience continues to deliver outcomes from stakeholder engagement to strategic policy and advice to program administration within a high-pressure environment.

His roles have included high-level events management capability involving leading and managing a range of large and small complex events across a variety of contexts including; Ministerial Offices, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Indigenous Youth Leadership Programs and National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) projects.

Steve Shanahan, Independent/Specialist Director (Member of Finance & Audit Committee)

Steve was appointed to the Independent/Specialist Director role in 2018 following an interim role as General Manager for SEARMS.

His housing career spans three decades across the ACT and NSW with roles in youth, special purpose housing and strategic and business planning. This culminated in executive positions with the Department of Family & Community Services managing public housing operations in the Southern NSW District.

Steve remains a passionate advocate for ‘housing first’ based solutions to assist individuals and communities, particularly in regional areas, for access to appropriate, sustainable housing.

Lynette Goodwin (Member of Finance & Audit Committee)

Lynnette was appointed in late 2023. More information to come.